Three-time world champion Lewis Hamilton could match his Ayrton Senna’s tally of 65 pole positions on Saturday.
The Briton has been rapidly closing on the Brazilian legend in recent years, scoring exactly half of his current total since the start of 2014, including the last race Spain.
Though he has always been known as a strong single lap driver, even Hamilton admitted it was incredible to consider himself alongside his hero.
“I’m one away from matching Senna’s qualifying record, which just doesn’t seem real,” Hamilton said, “I feel very honoured to be up and amongst the greats.
“I don’t really feel like there is any pressure. If it happens this weekend, it happens. If it doesn’t, it will happen. I will get another pole at some stage.”
One circuit that he has yet to take pole on, however, is Monaco and his chances this year appear slim after the pace shown by Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari in practice.
Acknowledging the omission, Hamilton said: “Of course there’s an incredible feeling when you feel like you are as close to the edge, that dream-line edge that you’re trying to get close to every year. I’ve never had that here.
“I’ve had good laps here that have felt very close, but… you can always find millimetres here and there. That’s the great thing about this sport. If we hit the perfect lap, then I don’t know, what’s next beyond perfect?
“I love that there’s a constant chase, a constant challenge, the target’s always moving, so you might touch it for a split second, but then it shifts and moves somewhere else. That’s what I love about it,” he added.